The Road Not Taken: A Friends to Lovers Christmas Roadtrip Romance (Fortune Falls Book 3) by Barton NC

Author:Barton, NC
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Story Club Books LLC
Published: 2025-11-02T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 13

We find the food stalls, and there’s just about everything you could possibly want. Clam chowder, of course, because we’re still on the coast, but there are also turkey legs, Yorkshire puddings, mince pies, and more. Kyle gets a turkey leg, while I grab a bowl of mashed potatoes. We both get another cup of mulled wine and find a table under a heat lamp. The sun has dipped below the horizon, taking what little heat the day had with it, but the sky is still a light hazy blue. The first stars are just starting to twinkle.

We watch the crowd and eat our dinner as night settles over the festival. A woman walks by us in a very sexy Santa dress—low-cut, short skirt.

Kyle kicks me under the table. “You should get one of those dresses.”

I shake my head. “Maybe you should go talk to her.”

He levels me with a pointed stare. “I’m saying you would look good in it.”

A shiver runs down my spine all the way to my toes.

When we’re finished eating, Kyle rubs his hands together, blowing on them. Despite my hat, I’m really cold, too.

“Should we get out of here?” I ask through chattering teeth.

Kyle points to a horse-drawn carriage pulled over near the edge of the square. “Want to catch a ride?”

Bubbles of excitement fizzle in my chest. “Yes.”

After Kyle talks to the driver, he gives me a hand into the white wooden carriage. The seats are red, and there’s a plaid blanket draped over one. I take a seat, my jeans sliding a bit on the leather. Kyle sits next to me and throws the blanket over our laps.

The carriage turns out of the festival and onto a small road headed toward the ocean. The waves crash, one after another, on the sand beyond.

“That was some performance,” Kyle says as we head down the street at a pace not much faster than walking.

“I told you I’m not scared of anything.”

Kyle’s eyes are pensive as he looks out at the water. He nods and swallows, not saying a word, but his face speaks volumes.

“Come on. What?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Kyle, you have that look…”

“What look?”

“The look you get when you want to say something but you’re being too polite. How long have we been friends? You don’t need to be polite with me.”

He sighs, setting his hands down on his legs and smoothing the blanket. “Sometimes, I think you do that stuff because you’re scared of the normal stuff.”

“What do you mean by the normal stuff?”

“Like figuring out what you want to do with your life.”

His words strike a chord. Part of me knows that what he’s saying is exactly right. But I push that away. “I work at the bar.”

“Is that your passion? Pulling pints?”

“No, but it’s a job. We can’t all live our dreams. What about you?”

“We’re not talking about me right now. This trip isn’t about me. It’s about you and this love-life list. All these guys were head over heels for you, but you didn’t even see it because you don’t let yourself fall for anyone.

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